Geometric controller for chairs



Nov. 11, 1958 E. RI MOORE v GEOMETRIC CONTROLLER FOR CHAIRS Filed Sept. 17, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.- Edwin. R. 777007? W 9.2mm

fliiorneyli Nov. 11, 1958 E. R. MOORE v 2,859,

GEOMETRIC CONTROLLER FOR CHAIRS Filed Sept. 17, 1956 1 2 Sheets Sheet 2 111 111 121 117 112 115 107 Fig.5;

7 Application 'stituting swinging movements parts without departing from the spiritof the invention as claimed. V t...

My invention relates generally to chairs of the type having a tilting seat and back, and in particular to a chair having seat and back elements which automatically adjust themselves relatively as the back is inclined, and

commonly referred to as a posture chair. More'specifically, the present invention relates to an improvement over the invention disclosed by my co-pending patent application Serial No. 582,390, filed May 3, 1956. The principle of my invention can be applied not only to desk 2 or otfice chairs but also to other devices such as living room chairs, airplane chairs, and the like.

' One object of the present inventlon is the provision of a device of the character described which affords related posture control in all positions of a chair in tilting the seat and the chair back at different relative angles in reclineby means of a synchronised swing linkage subfor any rolling or sliding movements of other chairs and the like. This feature of my invention also will cause a lowering of the chair back relative to the chair seat, eliminating friction between the.chair back and the occupants back when re- 'clining.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described which is provided with an angularly placed pivotable linkage and levers arrangement that provides a means for actuating the chair I controller in a novel self-contained manner, not requiring United States Patent O 2,859,801 Patented Nov. 11, 1958 ment of the invention of Fig. 1, but showing the chair seat and back in positions which are different from their positions shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fractional side view as Fig. 1 of another similar chair;

Fig. 4 is a fractional side view of still another chair, partiallyshown in section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fractional sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 4.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views. 1

Referring first to Fig. 1, the numeral 1 denotes a pedestal into which is screwed an upright hollow spindle 2 carrying a base member 3. Two pairs of levers 4 and 5 are pivotedto the member 3 at 7 and 10 respectively, and a frame member 11 carrying a chair seat 12 is pivoted to the levers 4 and 5 at 15 and 17. The upper ends of the levers 4 and 5 are pivotably connected at and 21 respectively to a link member 22. An angular bracket member 23 is secured to, and upwardly extended from, each member 22, and a chair back 24 interposed between the upper ends 25 of the members 23 is secured thereto by means of screws 27 or the like. A bookshaped member 30 is secured to the axis of the pivots 7. A screw 31, provided with a hand wheel 32 is screwed through a member connected to the levers 4 and is adapted for causing a swinging movement of the member 30 on the axis of the pivots 7, relative to the levers 4, thereby depressing more or less a spring (not shown) within the hollow spindle 2.

The chair shown in Fig. 2 like the chair of Fig. 1, has a pedestal 41 into which is screwed an upright hollow spindle 42 carrying a base member 43, to which are pivoted two pairs of levers 44 and 45 at 47 and 50 respec tively; a frame member 51 carrying a chair seat 53 is a secondary base, which vastly simplifies the manufactur- .ing of the chair, and lowers the weight and cost thereof; said linkage controller and arrangement giving angling 1 positions to the seat and the back of the chair with forward moveability to the seat relative tothe base during ,recline; stabilizingthe weight relatively to the center of H gravity.

A further object of the present invention is the pro it posslble to adjust the heights of the chair back simply by turning the screw 3 of the chair spring, and which has a new and improved for the adjustment of the tension shock absorber for the occupant constructed and designed also for preventing any alteration in the height ofv the chair by revolving the chair and the upright spindle connecting the same to the chair stand.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which Will appear as the description proceeds, the invention 1 consists of certain novel details of construction and com? binations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangements of In the accompanying drawinga preferred form of the invention has been, shown. In said drawing:

Figure 1 1s a side'view of a chair provided with an embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of a sirrular chair with the embodi vision of a device of the character described which makes spring arrangement.

pivoted to the levers 44 and 45 at 55 and 57. The upper ends of the levers 44 and 45 are pivotably connected atv and 61 respectively to a pair of link members 62,. from which are extended angular bracket members 63 holding a chair back 64. All the parts of the chair of Fig. 2 described so far are identical to the corresponding parts of the chair of Fig. l. The only difference between the chair of Fig. 1 and that of Fig. 2 consists in the The chair of Fig. 2 has a spring 67 which tends to force the pivots 60 in a counterclockwise direction away from that portion of the frame member 51 which is pivoted to the levers 45 and 57, so as to bring the chair back as well as the chair seat back from the reclining position of Fig. 2 back into the position shown in Fig. 1.

As per Fig. 3 two pairs of levers 74 and 75 pivoted to a base member (not shown) are pivoted at 76 and 77 to a frame member 81 which supports a chair seat 82. The upper ends of the levers 74 and 75 are pivotedat and 83 to a U-shapedmember 84. A bracket member 85, supporting a chair back 87, is secured to the member 84 and is upwardly extended therefrom; The spring arrangement (not shown) in this case can be either that of Fig. 1 or that of Fig. 2, or it may be of any other suitable shape and design.

, 94 and a packing and cushion ring 95, anda height adjustment nut 97 is screwed upon the spindle 9.3.. The nut 97 has 'a lower portion 100 which. is shaped as packing box encompassing the ring 95. The nut 97 has an ex- A chair back --1-22"is secured to the "members 11' terior annular groove 101, and a screw 102 screwed through a Mg 103, which extends obliquely from the disk 90, engages the groove101, sothat'the parts 90, 92, 94,95 and 97 cannot be separated from each other inadvertently.

. Ihev p rpe eetthepack rinsfi isle kee t en t 9 ztau ht oth i iii d eafi when the h rrqt d th y revolves. It also acts to a certain extentas a shock absorber for the occupant of. the chair. 1 Thus ,thefc l'iair height will be altered only 'Wh'enthe' nut97 is rotated intentionally relativeto the spindle 93. i 1 F To the upper endof the spindle 93 .is secured a base member 104 to which are pivoted two'pairs oflevers 105 and 107 at 110 and -111respectively; A frame'member 112 is pivoted to the levers 105 and 107 at 114 -and; -115,

and bracket member's '117'are pivoted to the" upper ends of the levers 105 and 107 at 120 and 121 respectively. and a chair seat 123 is supported by, and secured to,; the frame --member 112. In this case the pivot-120 preferably consistsof a longitudinal cross-pin to Which-1 s pivoted a first disk 124 by' meansof a pair of lugs 125.

- To the center portion of the disk 124 is secured a tubular adaptor member 127, which has a main portion 130 whose interior is square, or hexagon, or polygonal, and

an=internally threaded end portion 131 (Fig. An

- externally threaded member 132, screwed into the-threaded portion 131 has a hole through which extends shiftably a threaded bolt 133 intoQthe portion 130.. A.nut.134,

' whose outer formation is square, or hexagon, or the like according to the interior shape of the portion 130, is

. lengthwise shiftable in the portion 130 and ,is screwed upon the bolt'133. .The frame member 112 has a crossportion .135, provided with a threaded hole- 137, through which is screwed the externally threaded tubular portion 140 of a hand wheel 141. A second disk 142 adjacent the outer end of the portion 140 has a hole 143 through which the bolt 133 is slidably extended. A pressure spring 144,

encompassing the member 127, is interposed between the disks 124 and 142. The hand wheel 141 has a preferably cup-shaped portion 145, which substantially encompasses .-a contour adjusting circular dial member 147. To the center'of the dial member 147 is secured the bolt 133. The chair is held upright in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4 by the force of the spring 144. The spring 144 can be adjusted either by turning the wheel 141 or by turning the member 147, and with the spring 144 there is 1 also adjusted the height of the back 122 of the. chair, as may be seen from the position indicated by dash-anddotted lines in Fig. 4 as well as by the difference of positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When the member. 147 is turnedin one direction the spring 144 is collapsedto any ,desired position, allowing the chair to assume any icontour, which will remain relative to the posture of-the ,chairs occupant at any adjustment of axis location in relation to the hip axis of the occupant. If a person puts his weight against the chair back he causes the levers 105 and 107 partially to swing'jforward (in a clockwise direction) on the base member 104, andrnodifications have in common the following important feature: The levers 4 and 5 of the modification of Fig. l,

the levers 44 and 45 of the modification of Fig. 2, the

levers 74' and 75 of the modification of Fig. 3, and the --levers 105 and 107 of the modification of Figs. 4 and 5 e are hinged to each other and to their respective base mem- -;ber in such a manner as to simulate a pelvis axis, cross- 1 sectionally in line with the occupants pelvis.

-- 1 -Since certainchanges may be made in the above article and different embodiments of the invention could .be made that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which as a matter of language might be said to fall therebetween.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A geometric controller for chairs comprising a horizontal basemember, two pairs of upright levers having their lower ends hinged to opposite end portions of said base member, link members pivoted to the upper ends of said levers, a seat supporting. member hinged to said levers intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof, chair back supporting members being extended from said link members, and resilient means interposed between said seat supporting member and the end portions of a pair of said levers; said levers constituting an H-shaped formation with said seat-supporting member, and forming angularly variable parallelograms with said link members and said base member. I I

2. In a tilting chair, the combination of a pedestal, with a post extending upwardly from said pedestal, a horizontal base member carried by the upper end of said post,a pair of upright levers having their lower ends pivoted to each one of two opposite ends of said base member, link members pivoted to the upper endsof said levers, a seat supporting member hinged to said levers intermediate the upper and lower endsthereof, chair back supporting 1 members being extended from said link members, and

resilient means interposed between said seat supporting -member and the upper end portions of a pair of said levers, said levers being pivoted to said base member and to said link, members as well as to said seat supporting member in such a manner as to constitute an l-leshaped formation with said seat supporting member, and to form angularly variable parallelograms with said link members andsaid base member.

3. In a chair of the character described, the comb1nation of apedestal, a threaded postflextending ,upwardly from said pedestal, a base member carried by the upper end of said post, a pair of upright levers havingfiheir lower ends pivoted to each one of two opposite ends; of said base member, link members pivoted to the upper ends of said levers, a seat supporting member ,having'a threaded hole and being hinged to said levers intermediate theupper and lower ends thereof, a seat carried jbyjsziid seat supporting member, chair back supp orting members beingextended from said link members, a chai r uback secured tov said chair. backflsupporting members, a first thrust member pivoted to the upper end of a pair of said levers intermediate said link members, ;a hollow member secured to said first thrustmember, a nut slidably and non-rotatably arranged within said hollow member, a

closure member having a hole and closing the interior of said hollow member so that said nut cannot slide out of said hollow member, a screwhavinga head and a threaded stem slidably extending through the hole in said closure member into said hollow member and being screwed into said nut, a handwheel having a handle portion and an exteriorly threadedhollow stem portion through .which said threaded stem is extended and which 7 is screwed through the threaded hole in said seat supporting rn ember, a second thrust member adjacent the stem of said hand wheel having an aperture through whichextends said threaded stem, and a spring interposed between said thrust members. I V II 4. In a tilting chair, the combination of a pedestal, with a hollow post extending upwardly from said pedestal, a horizontal base member carried by the upper end of said post, a pair of upright levers havingtheir lowerends pivoted to each one of two opposite ends of said: base without departing from the. scope thereof, it is intended 1" member, link members pivoted to the upper ends of said levers, a seat supporting member hinged to said levers intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof, chair back supporting members being extended from said link members, resilient means within said hollow post, and a hook-shaped member having one of its ends extended into said hollow post so as to engage said resilient means while its other end is connected to one of said levers for being tilted by the same.

5. In a tilting chair, the combination of a pedestal, with a post extending upwardly from said pedestal, a horizontal base member carried by the upper end of said post, a pair of upright levers having their lower ends pivoted to each one of two opposite ends of said base member, a pair of angular seat back supporting members having substantially vertical and substantially horizontal branches and being hinged with their horizontal branches 6 to the upper ends of said levers, a seat supporting member hinged to said levers intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof, and resilient means interposed between said seat supporting member and the end portions of a pair of said levers.

References Cited in. the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,114,896 MaCRae Oct. 27, 1914 1,817,560 Harter Aug. 4, 1931 2,251,841 Herold Aug. 5, 1941 2,308,328 Depres Jan. 12, 1943 2,403,198 Sheldrick et al. July 2, 1946 2,403,425 Bolens July 2, 1946 2,420,745 Harman May 20, 1947 2,545,950 Fox Mar. 20, 1951 

